The present invention is directed to an apparatus for coupling light into an optical waveguide before a splicing location for the purpose of assessing splicing attenuation at a splicing location between the optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide, the apparatus includes means for guiding the first waveguide to be spliced in a specific curved fashion to form a coupling region so that light is coupled into the waveguide without removing a coating therefrom.
A coupling device in which the waveguide is held in a curved path is disclosed in German Patent No. 2,626,839. However, the details regarding the construction of the coupling region are not disclosed in this patent.
From the disclosure of German OS No. 3,215,669, a coupling device is known in which before the splicing location, the optical waveguide is subjected to a definite curvature. Simultaneously, the light is supplied through a lens to a block, which consists of a polysiloxane or other material which can be deformed in a springy fashion to enable coupling the light into the waveguide.